Fastener-supplying mechanism



NOV. 17, E. R. POPE FASTENER surname mammals! Filed June 20. 1922 Patented Nov. 17,

tsetse UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER R. POPE, OF HAMILTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF IATEESON, NEW JERSEY, A COBPGR-ATIC'N 8F NEW JERSEY.

FASTENEE-SUPPLYING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 20, 1922, Serial No. 569,581.

To all who-m 2'? may 007106)")1.

Be it known that I, Emrnn R. Porn, a citizen of the United fitat'es, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Fastener-Supplying hilechanisms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to distributors such as are used for si'ipplying fasteners in fastener inserting machines, and is illustrated as embodied in a tack distributor of the type used in pulling-over machines, although not limited to machines of that particular type.

Distributors of this type are usually pro vided with a plurality of fastener guides, or raceways, and it is one object of the invention to provide improved means conveniently accessible to an operator for selectively shutting off one or more raceways, i. e., preventing delivery of fasteners therefrom, to vary the number of fasteners delivered or the locations of the fastenersin the work. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention hereinafter described, this means comprises a series of fingers within easy reach of the operator, each shiftable across one of the raceways to close it. These fingers may be mounted, as shown, to rock about a transverse axis above the raceways, where they are in a readily accessible position, and according to one feature of the invention means, such as a rock-shaft or equivalent clearing device, is provided for returning the fingers simultaneously to their idle positions, thus opening all the raceways of the distributor.

It is sometimes necessary to secure access to the chute which forms a part, or continuation, of each raceway in a distributor of this character, by removing the front plate or end block which forms a common removable portion of the several chutes, and it is also desired at times to remove the separator plate which is mounted adjacent to this end block. These operations are of especial importance when the distributor is plugged up by the jamming of fasteners in the raceways, in the separator, or in the chutes.

In order to obviate possible spilling of tacks or equivalent fasteners in performing these operations, an important feature of my invention provides for closing all. of the raceways when the end block is to be removed, and preferably the attention of the operator is called to the necessity of closing the raceways by providing a lock on the end block, or equivalent movable member, which is released by the raceway-closing op eration, thus making it in'lpossible to remove the end block until the raceways are closed. In order to permit closing all of the raceways without interfering with the selective closing of less than the total number, the illustrated embodiment of the invention. comprises a series of members, such as the above-described fingers, individually operable for selectively closing one or more raceways and means for operating simultaneously such of. them as remain in open position, to close all the raceways, as for example, when the separator plate is to be removed.

hen parts of a tack-feeding distributor of the illustrated type are to be removed, I prefer, according to another feature of my invention, to sweep the tacks backwardly in the raceways to prevent the tack heads from interfering with their replacement. This is accomplished in the illustrated device by mounting the raceway-closing fingers to swing vertically into the raceways and longitudinally thereof, to push the tacks back away from the plate carried by the end block.

The above and other features of the invention including an improved mounting for the raceway-closing means on the usual cover plate, and other specific constructions and novel combinations of parts, will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a distributor embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through a part of this distributor longitudinally of one of the raceways; and

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a part of the distributor showing the means for shutting off the raceways and the means for preventing the removal of the end block or face plate unless the raceways have all been shut off.

In the device illustrated, fasteners such as tacks are received in a hopper 10 which arranges them heads uppermost in a series of guides or raceways 12. A separator plate 1% reciprocates across the ends of the raceways, separating a single fastener from each. raceway and allowing it to drop into chute 16, which may be regarded as a part or continuation of the corresponding raceway 12. In order to permit access to these parts if the fasteners become jammed, and to facilitate removal of the separator plate when desired, a protective cover member such as a removable end block or face plate 18 in which the chutes 16 are formed is provided having plates 20 overlying separator plate 1 1-. Block 18 is attached to the distributor by spring-pressed pins engaging holes 22,

which may be withdrawn by operation ofv linger pins 24:. These parts may be, and are illustrated as being, the same as equivalent parts shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,002,422, granted Sept. 5, 1911, on an application of R. F. McFeely.

A cover member 26 overlie-s and protects the raceways and is held in place by set screws 28. Pivotally mounted at 30 on cover member 26 is a second member 32 carrying a rock shaft 34: on .which are mounted a series of fingers 36. Each of these fingers is bored out to receive a plunger 38 pressed forward by a spring 40 held under compression by a set screw 42. The plunger engages either of two flattened portions on rock shaft Sat to hold its finger 36 either in the .idle position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 or in the raceway closing position shown in dotted lines in that figure. Each of the fingers is formed with a flat hook portion 44 arranged to swing vertically into one of the raceways 12 through a slot 4&6 in plate 20 and a registering slot 48 in a plate secured to member 32. t will be noted that swinging one of the fingers 36 downwardly not only closes the corresponding raceway 12 but sweeps the fasteners backward in the raceway away from the end of the raceway,

where they will not engage plate 20 when.

block 18 is replaced.

lVhen it is desired to shut ofl all the race ways 12, as for example when the end block or face plate 18 is to be removed, and whether or not one ormore of the fingers 36 are already in raceway closing position, rock shaft- 8etis turned by means of a milled nut 50 on one end, plungers-SS of any fingers 36 in closing position yielding to permit the shaft to turn. If desired, turning of the rock shaft may be facilitated by providing holes in the milled nut 50 for the insertion of a lever 52. Rocking the shaft 3% in the opposite direction turns all of the fingers 36" backwardly and opens all of the" race ways.

In order to prevent removal of end block 18 unless all of the raceways are closed, to

obviate possible loss of tacks when the separator plate 14 is removed a catch or look 5 1 is provided acting as a retainer and having a portion overhanging the end block or face plate 18 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This lock is pivoted on the member 32 at 56 and is formed with a slot 58 in which is an eccentric or cam 60 on nut 50 so that turning the rock shaft to close the raceways lifts the lock member 54 and allows end block 18 to lVhile I have described one embodiment of my invention, it is not my intention to limit its scope thereby or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United gtates is 1. A fastener-distributing device comprising, in combination, a source of supply of fasteners, plurality of feed guides each directing a series of fasteners from said source, said guides having a common removable portion, means for closing one or more of the guides at will, and means preventing the removal of said common portion unless all the guides are closed.

2. A distributing device comprising, in combination, a plurality of guide raceways, a cover member which is removable to permit access to the raceways, means for closing one or more of the raceways at will, and means preventing removal of said cover member unless all of the raceways are closed.

3. A distributing device comprising, in combination, guide raceways, a separator therefor, a member removable to permit ac cess to the separator, means for closing the raceways, and means to insure closing of the raceways before said member is removed.

a. A distributing device comprising, in combination, raceways, a member removable to aflord access to. the raceways, means for closing the raceways, and a lock for the removable member constructed and arranged to be released by operation of said means for closing the raceways.

5. A distributing device comprising, in combination, raceways, means to afford access thereto, means for closing the raceways, and a lock for said first means eons'ructed and arranged to be released by opera ion of said closing means. 7

6. A distributing device comprising, 'in combination, a set of raceways, a separator plate reciprocating across the raceways, an

end block having a portion overlying the plate, simultaneously or individually operable members for closing one or more of the raceways, and a lock for the end block constructed and arranged to be "eleased by sin'mltaneous operation. of said members to close the raceways.

7. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a plurality of closing devices, one for each raceway, manu ally movable each independently of the others while the distributor is in use to close one or more of the raceways, and manual means for operating said closing devices simultaneously to close all the raceways and for maintaining them in closing position continuously at the will of the ope 'ator.

S. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a plurality of closing devices, one for each raceway, manually movable each independently of the others to close one or more of the raceways, and a member common to all of said devices for moving a plurality of them into raceway-closing position without disturbing others that are already in closing position.

9. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of fastener guides, a controlling member, a plurality of devices associated with said member, each indivdually movable relatively thereto from an idle-position to a position where it blocks one of the guides, and means for operating the controlling member to move from idle position to blocking position all of said devices which have not been individually moved to blocking position and which remain in idle position.

it). A distributor comprising, in combina tion, a plurality of raccways, a shaft arrange transversely of the raceways, a finger mounted on the shaft adjacent to each raceway and individually movable relatively to the shaft from an idle position to a racewayclosing position, and means for rocking the shaftto move to raceway-closing position all of said fingers which have not been individually operated and which remain in idle position.

11. fastener distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a plate extending upwardly beyond the lower ends o the raceways, and means for pushing fasteners baclmardly in the raceways when the plate is to be removed in order to prevent them from interfering with its replacement.

'52. A distributor comprising, in combina' tion, a plurality of raceways, a member removable to aiford access thereto, a lock for said member, and means for simultaneously closing the raceways and releasing the lock.

13. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of race-ways, a member removable to afford access thereto, a lock for said member, a finger for closing each raceway, and a roclrshaft connected to the fingers and to the lock for simultaneously closing the racewz'lys and releasing the lock.

1st. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a separator device for feeding fasteners therefrom, and a manuallymovable device for simultaneously shutting on: all the raceways to prevent delivery of fasteners to the separator device.

15. A feeding device comprising, in combination, a raceway, a member movable across the raceway to close it, a member movable to permit access to a part of the raceway, a lock to prevent movement of the second member, and means for simultaneously operating the closing member and releasing the lock.

16. A feeding device comprising, in combination, a raceway, a member displaceable to afford access to the raceway, a lock to prevent displacement of said member, and means for sii'nultaneously closing the raceway and releasing the lock.

17. ill. feeding device comprising, in combination, a fastener raceway, and a finger mounted to oscillate about a horizontal axis into a position between the two walls of the raceway to c ose the raceway and to sweep the fasteners backward.

18. A feeding device comprising in com bination, a raceway, a rotatable transverse shaft, and a raceway-closing finger mounted to turn with the shaft or relatively thereto, the shaft and the finger being constructed and arranged to co-operate to hold the finger yieldingly in idle or in raceway-closing position.

19. A feeding device comprising, in combination, a raceway, a rotatable transverse shaft, and a raceway-closing finger mounted to turnwith the shaft or relatively thereto, the shaft being formed with flattened portions, and the finger being provided with a co-operating yielding plunger to engage said portions to hold the linger in idle or in raceway-closing position.

20. A feeding device comprising, in combination, a raceway, a raceway-closing linger, a shaft on which the finger is mounted and relatively to which the finger may be rocked for closing the raceway, and means for turning the shaft to operate the finger.

21. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a cover plate therefor, and raceway-closing means carried by the cover plate and movable in such direction as to retract the fasteners from the lower ends of the raceways.

22. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a cover therefor, and a set of raceway-closing devices mounted on the cover to swing into the raceways with a component of movement upwardly along the raceways.

28. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, means for selectively closing one or more raceways, and means for simultaneously opening the closed raceways.

24. A distributor comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, individually-movable members for selectively closing one or more raceways, and means for simultaneously returning all said members for opening the closed raceways.

25. Mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a raceway, a member displaceable to afford access to the raceway, a device for closing the raceway, and means for preventing displacement of said member until the raceway is closed.

26. Mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a raceway, amember displaceable to afford access to the raceway, a retainer for preventing displacc ment of said member, means for closing the raceway, and mechanism controlled by said raceway closing means for operating the retainer to release said member only when the raceway is closed.

27. Mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a raceway, a member displaceable to afford access to the raceway, a retainer for preventing displacement of said member, a raceway closing finger, a shaft rotatable to move said finger to operative position, and a cam on said menses shaft for moving the retainer out of operative position as said finger is moved to operative position.

28. Mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a raceway, a member displace-able to ailiord access to the raceway, means continuously accessible to the operator for closing the raceway at will, and means for insuring closure of the raceway when said member is displaced.

29. Mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a plurality of raceways, a member displaceable to afford access to said raceways, a retainer for pre venting displacement of said member, means for closing the raceways, and mechanism controlled by said raceway closing means for operating the retainer to release said member only when all the raceways are closed.

30. Mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a plurality of V raceways, a member displaceable to aiford access to said raceways, a retainer for preventing displacement of said member, raceway closing fingers movable independently of one another to close the different respective raceways, an operating member associated with the several fingers and movable to insure closing of all the raceways by said fingers, and mechanism controlled by said operating member for moving the retainer out of operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ELMER R. POPE. 

